The crash of an Ethiopian Airlines flight on Sunday, which killed 157 people, led governments worldwide to ban the planes until the cause is determined.
The move came hours after Canada announced it is pulling Boeing 737 Max aircraft from the sky, indicating that the US is bowing to the mounting pressure from the international community to ground the aircraft.
The US Department of State had reported that at least eight Americans were among the victims on the plane that crashed on Sunday.
The move comes three days after 157 people were killed after an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashed 6 minutes after take-off from Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Sunday.
The operators have to ensure that no MAX aircraft in their fleet is operated without compliance with DGCA's latest directions with effect from 1200 hours on March 12, the statement said.
